Headspace Eliminating Microtiter Plate Lid

Abstract

A microtiter plate assembly is disclosed that includes a base having a plurality of wells, a lid having a lid and a plurality of projections corresponding to the plurality of wells, a magnetic plate adapter including at least one magnet, and a force distribution plate that includes, or is coated with a magnetic or paramagnetic material. The magnetic plate adapter and the force distribution plate provide an amount of force necessary to reduce warping of large microtiter plate assays without increasing the footprint of the microtiter plate.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A microtiter plate assembly comprising:
 a base comprising a plurality of wells in at least one outer row and at least one inner row;   a lid comprising a plurality of projections corresponding with the plurality of wells;   a magnetic plate adapter; and   a force distributing plate,   wherein at least a portion of the force distributing plate, the magnetic plate adaptor, or both the magnetic plate adapter and force distributing plate is formed from a magnetic or paramagnetic material, or has a magnetic or paramagnetic material disposed thereon, or has a magnetic material attached thereto;   wherein the at least one magnet provides a force sufficient to reduce warping of the lid; and   wherein the assembly exhibits a percent warp, defined as a percent change in signal of an average fluorescence signal of the at least one outer row to an average fluorescence signal of the at least one inner row, of about 30% or less.   
     
     
         2 . A microtiter plate assembly comprising:
 a base comprising a plurality of wells spaced apart such that each well is adjacent to a second well; and   a lid comprising a plurality of projections spaced apart corresponding with the array of the plurality of wells such that each projection is adjacent to a second projection;   a magnetic plate adapter having at least one magnet; and   a force distributing plate,   wherein at least a portion of the force distributing plate, the magnetic plate adaptor, or both the magnetic plate adapter and force distributing plate is formed from a magnetic or paramagnetic material, or has a magnetic or paramagnetic material disposed thereon, or has a magnetic material attached thereto;   wherein the plurality of projections extend from a proximal end adjacent to the lid to a distal end; and   wherein a height clearance is defined between the distal end of each projection and a well base of the respective well, and wherein a percent variation of the height clearance between the projection and the well and the adjacent second projection and second well is about  10 % or less.   
     
     
         3 . The microtiter plate assembly as defined in  claim 1 or 2 , wherein the force distributing plate, the magnetic plate adaptor, or both the magnetic plate adapter and force distributing plate provides at least about 4 kilograms*force (kgf) to the lid. 
     
     
         4 . The microtiter plate assembly as defined in  any one of the preceding claims , wherein the assembly exhibits a percent warp of about 15% or less. 
     
     
         5 . The microtiter plate assembly as defined in  any one of the preceding claims , wherein at least one of the magnetic plate adapter and the force distributing plate has a longitudinal length that is equal to or less than a longitudinal length of the base. 
     
     
         6 . The microtiter plate assembly as defined in  any one of the preceding claims , wherein the base contains an apron, wherein the apron is configured to releasably contain the at least one magnet. 
     
     
         7 . The microtiter plate assembly as defined in  any one of the preceding claims , wherein the microtiter plate assembly is configured to be compatible with a plate reader and/or is Society for Biomolecular Screening (SBS) compliant. 
     
     
         8 . The microtiter plate assembly as defined in  any one of the preceding claims , wherein the at least one magnet is vertically magnetized. 
     
     
         9 . The microtiter plate assembly as defined in  any one of the preceding claims , wherein at least one of the magnetic plate adapter and the force distributing plate has a thickness of about 12 mm or less. 
     
     
         10 . The microtiter plate assembly as defined in  any one of the preceding claims , wherein at least one of the magnetic plate adapter and the force distributing plate has a weight of about 600 g or less. 
     
     
         11 . The microtiter plate assembly as defined in  any one of the preceding claims , wherein at least one of the magnetic plate adapter and the force distributing plate contains one or more apertures. 
     
     
         12 . The microtiter plate assembly as defined in  any one of the preceding claims , wherein the assembly includes 96 wells and 96 corresponding projections. 
     
     
         13 . The microtiter plate assembly as defined in  any one of the preceding claims , wherein at least one of the magnetic plate adapter and the force distributing plate is formed of aluminum, steel, combinations thereof, or alloys or derivatives thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The microtiter plate assembly as defined in  any one of the preceding claims , wherein each projection comprises a radial notching having a radial cross section of about 0.8 mm 2  or greater. 
     
     
         15 . The microtiter plate assembly as defined in  any one of the preceding claims , wherein the distal end of each projection is canted at an angle of about 5° or more relative to a plane of the lid. 
     
     
         16 . The microtiter plate assembly as defined in  any one of the preceding claims , wherein at least a portion of the assembly is formed from an acrylate polymer, or wherein at least a portion of the assembly is coated with a polymer having an oxygen transmission rate of about 15 cm 3 /m 2 /24 hours at 23° C. and 0% relative humidity. 
     
     
         17 .  17 . The microtiter plate assembly as defined in  any one of the preceding claims , wherein at least one of the lid and the force distributing plate includes a plurality of spacers. 
     
     
         18 . A method of measuring an oxygen consumption rate utilizing the assembly of  any one of the preceding claims  comprising:
 placing a sample and an oxygen-sensitive phosphorescent probe into one of the plurality of wells, 
 contacting the sample with the corresponding projection, and 
 measuring the oxygen consumption rate with a fluorescence plate reader. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the sample has a seeding density of less than 70,000 cells, and wherein the measuring is conducted in 45 minutes or less. 
     
     
         20 . The method as defined in  claim 18 or 19 , wherein the seeding density is conducted at or below confluence of a selected cell type. 
     
     
         21 . The method as defined in any one of  claims 18 to 20 , wherein the sample volume is 100 μL or less, preferably wherein the sample volume is 70 μL or less.